Those Chicago people in the media again..

http://www.chicago...-premiumvideo.html

For a memory refresher, they did this one too..

http://www.chicago...ntent?oid=14190752

I seriously can't even...

Stoooop Bilphin' spots!

Having the UER Christmas music in the background really lends this piece the gravitas it deserves.

I don't usually break the law but when I do I make sure I do it on video and for the Chicago Tribune. Preferably within the first 10 seconds of the video.

Wow.
"I started doing it and not even knowing it was a thing ..."
"The exploration part is like 80% of what I'm doing ..."
"I've never been prosecuted or been to jail ..."

I don't know, that just came off as really pretentious, but that's just me..

Just as a warning, Wrigley does have security on-sit and City Methodist is fenced off because the building is collapsing.

Posted by Chi-Ex Just as a warning, Wrigley does have security on-sit

Yup. We found that out a while back. Close call!

I think CMC is still doable, if it even surrounds the entire property yet that fence won't stop anyone unless demo equipment shows up.

Do you guys think that expose' pieces like these do more for UE, or do less?

I mean yes, it documents breaking the law and such, but perhaps if people had a broader understanding of what UE is and the ideology behind it people would be less likely to call 911 on a group of people with camera tripods wandering around buildings...

Of course, I could also be completely naieve with my viewpoint...

Posted by Darendor Do you guys think that expose' pieces like these do more for UE, or do less? I mean yes, it documents breaking the law and such, but perhaps if people had a broader understanding of what UE is and the ideology behind it people would be less likely to call 911 on a group of people with camera tripods wandering around buildings... Of course, I could also be completely naieve with my viewpoint...

The way I see it, ANY ue media exposure is bad exposure. If anything, it leads just to heightened security and kids getting themselves hurt/in trouble because they saw something like this, but didn't actually put in the effort to prepare. Cops and property owners don't care if you're an "explorer". You're still breaking the law and trespassing. Maybe a few less people would jump straight terrorism, but I would think that kind of person who would call the cops wouldn't change that even if they happened to know what ue was. The pros just don't seemed to outweigh the cons.

Posted by Darendor Do you guys think that expose' pieces like these do more for UE, or do less? I mean yes, it documents breaking the law and such, but perhaps if people had a broader understanding of what UE is and the ideology behind it people would be less likely to call 911 on a group of people with camera tripods wandering around buildings... Of course, I could also be completely naieve with my viewpoint...

In my opinion, any publicity or advertising of urban exploring is somewhat damaging to the hobby. My reason being, it introduces it to a bunch of vandals who now have new places to vandalize and tag. To n00bs who now have a place to go accidentally kill themselves. To property owners who now know their building is accessable. Etc.

Posted by Darendor Do you guys think that expose' pieces like these do more for UE, or do less?

I see two effects. First, general knowledge about and appreciation of UE will increase. So our pictures and stories will be better appreciated.

And second, more people will do UE or just mess around. This will have good and bad results.

1. More places will already have been entered before I get there, perhaps by people who are willing to make POEs. Good, easier for me.

2. More property owners / security guards will realize that real explorers are harmless. Good; some will be more permissive. Unfortunately they have no way to distinguish us from people who aren't content to just look.

3. Graffiti will increase. Good; they'll take art classes and compete to produce better graffiti. But, bad; property owners will up their game.

4. Vandalism will increase. That's going to be ugly, and security will increase.

Overall I think the good and bad come out even. But interesting times lie ahead. In the end "ruin porn" will bore the media, lots of people will give up UE and we'll be back where we were before it was a thing.

Posted by Darendor Of course, I could also be completely naieve with my viewpoint...

It's that one.

Posted by Ganesha 3. Graffiti will increase. Good; they'll take art classes and compete to produce better graffiti. But, bad; property owners will up their game.

... I... You... REALLY???

"Hey, guys, look! An abandoned building! I hear-ed about dem urbexers, let's go take some art classes!"

Because THAT'S how stuff works.

Posted by Ganesha 4. Vandalism will increase. That's going to be ugly, and security will increase.

Well, maybe this will be a good thing too, because maybe they'll take, like, smashing classes or something! Oooh! Maybe they'll invent giant hammers in the shape of Wile. E. Coyote, so when they bash holes in the walls it looks like he ran through!

Any exposure is bad exposure. The general public isn't going to look at us any better just because they saw a news article about a self-aggrandizing photographer - if anything they'll think we're all retards who should probably be saved from themselves.

Exposure just brings more and more people who have no idea what they're doing, who break in just to get drunk/stoned with their friends, throw pics of everything everywhere, and smash things. (Yes, you'll get a few quality people, here and there, but the trade-off isn't worth it.)

Laugh if you will. But I've noticed that places either have predominantly bad or predominantly good graffiti. I think there's some peer pressure operating here. Once good stuff starts showing up, crudely spraying FUCK on a wall just isn't very satisfying. And, yes, I'd swear that some of the muralists whose work I've seen have been to art classes. Or that they're at least getting OJT.




Vandalism classes? 8) What a fine imagination spawned this idea, and what a good comedy sketch it would make.

Posted by NotBatman It's that one.

Oh ok, thanks for clearing that up for me.

The people who spray paint fuck on walls aren't the same people who spray paint artistic stuff. I don't think the former ever aspires to be the latter. Though, in the end, they're both spray painting useless shit on a wall they don't own for their own amusement.

In my humble observations so far, the ever-increasing media exposure of Urban Exploration has caused more negatives than positives. Five years ago you had smaller communities and easier ways out of a sticky situation? Today, you got New York city bumping up trespassing on city infrastructure to a felony. Federal mandate is right around the corner probably too, if not already.

Moreover, you get more [shitty] people on "this cool new thang" and now you have hipstergram dickheads posting selfies and feetshots off of rooftops, not giving a shit, not respecting the places. There is a reason cave grottos have a way of keeping normals out. And they have their ways of finding out people that stumble upon them — and educate them.

Luckily the vandals only see the media stuff and not all the online stuff around.